LeBron James is returning to Cleveland after four years in Miami. / H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY Sports

by John Perrotto, Special for USA TODAY Sports

by John Perrotto, Special for USA TODAY Sports

CLEVELAND - There were surprisingly few people wearing LeBron James jerseys in the streets outside Quicken Loans Arena on Friday afternoon even though the NBA superstar had announced he is coming back home to Northeast Ohio.

Of course, a lot of people in these parts got rid of their James jerseys. They either burned them, threw them in the trash or donated them to charity four summers ago when the superstar left for Miami, where he led the Heat to four NBA Finals appearances and two titles.

Look for a quick return of that famous No. 23 Cavaliers jersey all over town. James, who grew up and still owns a home just down Interstate 77 in Akron, has again electrified Cleveland.

"I haven't slept for two days because I kept wondering if he was going to come home and hoping and praying that he would," said Akron resident Sharon Morris as she was set to attend Friday night's baseball game between the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox across the street at Progressive Field.

"I know there were a lot of hard feelings that he left and I hope people get past that. LeBron followed his heart home just like I always felt he would. Maybe I'm naïve, but I always believed LeBron would come back home at some point in his career and that day has come. It's a great day for Cavaliers' fans, the city of Cleveland and all of Northeast Ohio."

It's been a pretty good 2014 so far for Cleveland. First there was the arrival of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel in May's NFL draft. On Tuesday, the national Republican Party handed Cleveland its 2016 national convention and hundreds of millions of dollars in business.

Cleveland fans are predisposed to fearing the worst. None of the city's major professional sports team have won a title since the Browns beat the Baltimore Colts in the 1964 NFL Championship Game. The Cavaliers have been to the NBA Finals once in their 44-year history, in 2007 when James and company were swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

Thus, Ernie Jones of Cleveland's East Side just assumed James would remain in Miami and add to his collection of championship rings. Instead, James was enticed back to the Cavaliers to play with such young talents as Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins. Cleveland is also reportedly attempting to trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves for power forward Kevin Love.

"I know it had been speculated all week that he was coming back, but I wasn't ready to believe it until it happened," Jones said. "I'm glad it did. I think the Cavs have a legitimate chance to win it all this time around. LeBron had to carry the whole team when he was here before. Now he'll have some help. It's going to be exciting to watch the Cavs play again."

Lynn Taylor, 51, lovingly mopped ribs, barbecue and Polish boys - the city's signature kielbasa sandwich - with her secret sauce outside her Hough Avenue deli on the east side. She said the GOP convention and James would help bring much-needed cash into the city, although she called James a drama queen for the way he left back in 2010. But she'll take him back.

"Just bring us a championship," she said.

There are skeptics among Cleveland sports fans, including Jerry Alberti from suburban Elyria.

Alberti wonders how motivated James will be in his second stint with the Cavaliers and believes he is returning to Cleveland only at the behest of his wife, Savannah, who is pregnant with the couple's third child.

"Like the rest of us, he does what his wife tells him to do," Alberti said with a laugh. "I hope he is honest when he says it's his dream to win a championship in Cleveland before he retires, but I don't believe anything he says. I haven't trusted him since the day he said he was leaving town. He turned his back on his home and I don't think it's so cut and dried that everyone should automatically welcome him back with open arms like nothing ever happened."

Indians manager Terry Francona wasn't around when James played for the Cavaliers as he in just his second season with Cleveland. However, Francona was an outstanding high school basketball player, is a big NBA fan and was a Boston Celtics season ticket holder during his nine-year stint as Red Sox manager from 2004-12.

"I've been here long enough to care about Cleveland," Francona said. "I'm thrilled, because it's going to bring a lot of happiness and a lot of joy to basketball fans. I think it's good for the city. It will bring in revenue and extra excitement to the downtown area. I think it's awesome.

"As for the basketball fan in me, I'm really excited. You could feel the electricity around here today. That can't be bad."